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American Bison
, ) |subspecieslist = * Northern plains bison (Bison bison montanae)* * Plains bison (Bison bison bison) * Wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) |first_appearance = "Where the Bison Roam" |final_appearance = "The Mystery of the Two Horned Narwhal" }} The American Bison '(''Bison bison), also commonly known as '''bison is a North American species of bison that once roamed North America in vast herds. Its historical range, by 9000 BCE, is described as the great bison belt, a tract of rich grassland that ran from Alaska to the Gulf of Mexico, east to the Atlantic Seaboard (nearly to the Atlantic tidewater in some areas) as far north as New York and south to Georgia and, according to some sources, down to Florida, with sightings in North Carolina near Buffalo Ford on the Catawba River as late as 1750. It nearly became extinct by a combination of commercial poaching in the 19th century and introduction of bovine diseases from domestic cattle. With a population in excess of 60 million in the late 18th century, the species was down to 541 animals by 1889. Recovery efforts expanded in the mid-20th century, with a resurgence to roughly 31,000 animals today, largely restricted to a few national parks and reserves. 2 subspecies or ecotypes have been described: the plains bison (B. b. bison), smaller in size and with a more rounded hump, and the wood bison (B. b. athabascae)—the larger of the two and having a taller, square hump. Furthermore, the plains bison has been suggested to consist of a northern plains (B. b. montanae) and a southern plains (B. b. bison) subspecies, bringing the total to 3. However, this is generally not supported. The wood bison is one of the largest wild species of bovid in the world, surpassed by only the Asian gaur and wild water buffalo. Among extant land animals in North America, the bison is the heaviest, and the second tallest (after the moose). Spanning back many centuries, Native American tribes have had cultural and spiritual connections to the American bison. It is the national mammal of the United States. They are considered keystone species because they graze the prairies of excess grass so more grass can grow, and their feces actually fertilizes the soil for more grass to grow. Bison are sometimes called buffalo, however buffalo live in Africa and Asia. Bison have some of the warmest fur of any mammal to keep warm during cold winters. Bison also are great runners. A bison could complete a 26.7 mile marathon in 45 minutes, while a human would take 2 hours. Bison are even champion swimmers and will swim across even the Yellowstone river to find better grazing grounds. Male bison have incredible battles to impress the females. Bison usually don't have many predators except for wolves, and the occasional grizzly bear. Category:Vertebrates Category:Mammals Category:Ungulates Category:Even-toed Ungulates Category:Bovids Category:Creatures Category:North American Creatures Category:Real Life Creatures Category:Season Three Creatures Category:Season Four Creatures Category:Near Threatened Species Category:Laurasiatherians Category:Pecorans Category:Game Creatures